The world’s most surreal diving sites

Call it the scuba diver's bucket list

The world’s largest underground river system at the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Photo: Luis Javier Sandoval | GettyImages

Scuba diving expert Meg Austin and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, aka PADI, helped us pick 14 underwater adventures that should be on every diver’s bucket list, from navigating underwater kelp forests in Point Lobos to swimming with leopard seals in Antarctica. Not a diver? These photos might convert you:

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Photo: Stocktrek Images, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo

Antarctica

The Antarctic ice is constantly on the move, so dive sites shift as time passes. Petermann Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula, is a reliable spot for divers to come face to face with leopard seals. These predators feed on fish, penguins—even other seals. Though their spotted coats make them look like cuddly stuffed animals, leopard seals are nearly 12ft long and not to be underestimated.

Photo: Luis Javier Sandoval | GettyImages

Riviera Maya, Mexico

Check out the world’s largest underground river system at the Riviera Maya. Dive deep into cenotes (sinkholes), whose salt water is separated from fresh by a zone called a halocline. Within the Angelita cenote, a cloud of hydrogen sulfate filters light into heavenly rays. The Taj Mahal cenote is home to a stalagmite that looks just like its namesake.

Photo: Kip Evans / Alamy Stock Photo

Point Lobos State Park, California

Point Lobos is home to massive kelp forests: eerie underwater jungles of quick-growing algae. The 70ft-high strands of kelp wave in the water, creating an otherworldly scene, like the coming of Atlantis. Popping the kelp (not recommended, but so tempting) produces bubbles. The number of divers allowed here is limited, so permits must be secured; you can book up to two months in advance.

Photo: Theo Moye / Alamy Stock Photo

Silfra Fissure, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

To dive into the Silfra tectonic fissure is to sink into the rift between the North American and Eurasian continents. Visibility in the glacial water (dubbed ‘the clearest water on Earth’) exceeds 300ft. Although sea life is minimal in the fissure itself, bright green plant projections called ‘troll hair’ and other colourful algae make up a compelling seascape.

Photo: Alexander Safonov | GettyImages

Port St Johns, South Africa

June and July are the months to head to Port St Johns for diving—when cold water is pushed up the east coast, propelling billions (yes, billions) of sardines up the continental shelf and into the mouths of waiting predators. The sardines huddle together, forming ‘bait balls’ that end up being easy targets for numerous species of sharks, dolphins and whales.

Photo: Michele Westmorland | GettyImages

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos are, hands down, one of the best places to dive in the world, and Darwin’s Arch is probably the best site in the Galapagos. Here, divers can swim with schools of hammerhead sharks as well as turtles, eels and (between July and November) whale sharks.

Photo: Aquascopic / Alamy Stock Photo

Barracuda Point, Sipadan Island, Malaysia

Located at the northern tip of Sipadan Island, Barracuda Point is home to thousands-strong schools of barracuda that can shape themselves into a vortex large enough to block light from the sun. Coral, turtles and lionfish also abound, and divers who look down will often see reef sharks resting comfortably on the ocean floor.

Photo: Ethan Daniels / Alamy Stock Photo

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is known for its many species of sharks, but it’s the dwindling lemon sharks that are the real draw. They’re yellowish-brown in colour (this helps them blend in with the sandy sea floor), with giant mouths that house a terrifying number of sharp, curved teeth. Despite their evil grins, lemon sharks are not generally considered a threat to humans.

Photo: redbrickstock.com / Alamy Stock Photo

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is home to little-explored dive sites and uncharted reefs, peppered with lagoons, shallows and walls that support a hugely diverse range of marine species. Sunken World War II wrecks, mazes of shelf coral, grey reef sharks, saltwater crocodiles, pygmy seahorses, eagle rays and hammerhead sharks are just a few of the attractions PNG boasts.

Photo: Stephen Frink Collection / Alamy Stock Photo

Cozumel, Mexico

The toadfish usually hides itself away in underwater nooks and crannies, so a sighting is a rare gift. Cozumel is one of the best places to spot this shy, striped fish. Scuba expert Meg Austin recommends the Palancar Cave and Palancar Horseshoe sites for toadfish and coral sightings.

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Moliniere Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada

Off the coast of Grenada, the underwater sculpture park was opened in 2006, when more than 50 life-size sculptures by Jason DeCaires slowly developed into an artificial reef. The manmade beauty has attracted coral and fish to swim among the sculptures, making this one of the most unique diving experiences in the world.

Photo: Danita Delimont / Alamy Stock Photo

North Stradbroke Island, Brisbane, Australia

Diversity reigns underwater in this western island off the coast of Brisbane. Shag Rock and Flat Rock are the most popular diving sites, offering views of leopard sharks, grey nurse sharks, wobbegongs and turtles. In the summer, make sure to visit Manta Ray Bommie for, as the name suggests, manta rays.

Photo: jack perks / Alamy Stock Photo

Stoney Cove, England

An inland diving spot, this flooded quarry offers something a little different for divers of all levels. Plus, it serves as a dive-training site for beginners. Pike and perch are the primary species here, which gives diving a different feel than your usual Caribbean trip.

Photo: A. Martin UW Photography | GettyImages

The Canary Islands

A popular year-round dive spot, the seven Canary Islands are a temperate area, for those who’d like to stay in warmer waters, even in the winter. Thanks to stunning clear water, this area is an underwater photographer’s paradise.